Qianwu City, top floor of the Treasure Pavilion.
*Smash!*
An exquisite wine cup worth tens of thousands of Cosmic Currency was hurled violently onto the floor, shattering to pieces.
The head of the Treasure Pavilion headquarters—a formidable World Master—along with two other figures who likewise radiated the world power of World Masters, stood off to the side, too terrified to utter a sound.
"Trash."
"What good are you?"
"How many years has it been, and you can't even dig up information on a mere Domain Master?"
"I'll give you one more month! I must have every shred of information on that man named Lu Qingshan! I want to know which planet he was born on, his family, everything about him!"
Alongside the furious roaring came the terrifying pressure of an Undying Deity. Nearly everyone present went pale, enduring the crushing aura and daring not make a move.
"Big Brother..."
The Demonic World Master could not help but speak up.
Looking at the enraged Kunshaluo, he explained, "It's not that we haven't been working hard. Ever since we received your assignment, we've tried every possible way to gather information on him. If he were just a First-Class Instructor in the Qianwu Dojo, that would be one thing—we'd have uncovered his background long ago. But that guy was transferred into the Qianwu Secret Realm by Silver Moon Marquis... and his security clearance rose accordingly... Getting his profile through regular channels is practically impossible!"
"If you can't get it through regular channels, what about elsewhere? The black market... those vultures and rats trafficking in information..."
Kunshaluo's rage had not subsided in the least.
Years of waiting had allowed a vast reservoir of fury to build up within him. On top of that, his previous personal visit had turned out to be an empty errand, which only infuriated him further.
What Kunshaluo found even more intolerable, however, was the fear that as more time passed, Lu Qingshan might consume all of that Luoke God Water to nurture plant lifeforms. If that happened, capturing him would yield nothing but an empty victory!
"Big Brother, we've already tried all those methods! We even bribed a First-Class Instructor at the Qianwu Dojo Headquarters, but Lu Qingshan is excessively cautious. He's never disclosed a word about his past to anyone! That guy is just too careful!"
"Cautious! Cautious is good! Of course he needs to be cautious. Even if it were me back in the Domain Master stage possessing a treasure like Luoke God Water, I would be extraordinarily cautious!" Kunshaluo was increasingly convinced that Lu Qingshan possessed a substantial amount of Luoke God Water—far more than the measly amount sold to the Treasure Pavilion.
Otherwise, why would he hide inside the Qianwu Secret Realm all this time? The more careful he was, the more secrets he had!
"Don't think that just because you're hiding inside the Qianwu Secret Realm, I have no way of touching you..."
Kunshaluo drew a deep breath, seeming to make up his mind.
He ordered, "Bring me that Dragon Blood Bodhi Seed from the shop! I will pay a personal visit to the Qianwu Secret Realm."
"Big Brother, that's the crown jewel of our Treasure Pavilion, worth a hundred Hunyuan!"
"Bring it to me!"
...
A few hours later, Kunshaluo's figure appeared before the entrance passage to the Qianwu Secret Realm.
After activating a token, the passageway slowly opened, and Kunshaluo flew inside without hesitation.
...
"Kunshaluo, what business do you have coming to the Qianwu Secret Realm? Give me a reasonable explanation!"
An icy voice reached Kunshaluo's ears before he had even touched down.
A faint smile strained across Kunshaluo's demonic face, looking all the more uncanny.
"Lord Silver Moon Marquis, I was ordered by Marquis Canghai to collect some treasures, and today I have come specifically to deliver them to him..."
Silver Moon Marquis's figure slowly materialized above Wind Thunder Island.
Her cold gaze settled upon Kunshaluo with absolute detachment.
If Kunshaluo dared make any untoward move in the Qianwu Secret Realm, she would suppress or slay him without mercy!
"Kunshaluo, you had better not be lying to me!"
"I would not dare."
Kunshaluo hurriedly bowed and added, "Your Lordship may verify this with Marquis Canghai."
"I certainly will."
The moment Kunshaluo mentioned Marquis Canghai's name, Silver Moon Marquis had already dispatched a message to verify it.
"Didn't my disciple Sailisi break through to the Domain Master realm not long ago? Kunshaluo runs a business outside and has quite a few connections. I mentioned it offhandedly to him before, asking him to help gather some treasures for accumulating Domain Master origin force. It was just a casual remark, but I never expected he would actually track them down for me..."
The three Undyings guarding the Qianwu Secret Realm maintained good relations. Among them, Marquis Mingguang was the leader, while Silver Moon Marquis and Marquis Canghai assisted him. The former was a true peak Marquis-level Undying, while the latter two both boasted strength close to that level.
With three Undying Deities stationed here and the Qianwu Country Master's whereabouts unpredictable—no one knowing whether he might be in secluded cultivation in some secret corner of the secret realm—the Qianwu Secret Realm was as impregnable as an iron fortress, tight and impenetrable.
"Though Kunshaluo is also a subordinate of the Country Master, the secret realm is of paramount importance, and the Genius Battle, which the Country Master values greatly, is right around the corner. It would be best if such occurrences do not happen again in the future..."
"Haha, my fault. I will tell Kunshaluo not to come again."
The communication concluded, and only then did Silver Moon Marquis turn her gaze away from Kunshaluo, warning, "You are only permitted to go to Canghai Island and the public areas. You are not allowed to enter anywhere else, especially this Wind Thunder Island..."
Silver Moon Marquis's gaze fell toward her disciple Ling Yu's manor.
The reason she had arrived so swiftly, aside from her duty to guard the territory, was primarily to ensure nothing happened to her most gifted disciple, Ling Yu... Ling Yu already possessed the strength to compete for the top ten in the universe in the Genius Battle... Even if the Country Master learned of this, he would likely praise her...
"Also, when you depart, take another passageway. Do not come to Wind Thunder Island again!"
Silver Moon Marquis gave a cold reminder.
"Yes, Your Lordship."
Kunshaluo did not dare disobey. After casting a glance at Wind Thunder Island, he departed and flew off toward Canghai Island.
*I never expected Silver Moon Marquis to place such importance on Wind Thunder Island. Lu Qingshan seems to be right here on Wind Thunder Island—this is troublesome!*
Kunshaluo had originally intended to use his entry into the secret realm as an excuse to seek out Lu Qingshan, employ both coercion and inducements, and seize the Luoke God Water or whatever other fortunes the man held. Yet he had suffered a setback right at the start.
However, matters had already reached this point, leaving him no retreat. He had to give it a try; otherwise, his losses would be immense this time.
A Dragon Blood Bodhi Seed worth one hundred Hunyuan units was a painful expense even for Kunshaluo. Although he had some knack for commerce, he was ultimately just a beginner Undying Military Lord who had recently broken through.
Even if he wanted to curry favor with Marquis Canghai intentionally, a treasure worth ten Hunyuan units would have been plenty. Shelling out a Dragon Blood Bodhi Seed worth a hundred Hunyuan this time was done with the intention of having Marquis Canghai speak on his behalf afterward.
On Wind Thunder Mountain, inside the villa.
Lu Qingshan gazed off into the distance beyond the island.
*Silver Moon Marquis was here?*
Those distinct fluctuations of the Time Origin Law could not be mistaken. Silver Moon Marquis was merely an Undying who followed the ordinary path of mastering the law; she was unable to retract and release her control over the Time Origin Law at will, which was why Lu Qingshan could perceive it so clearly.
The other two Undyings in the Qianwu Secret Realm both followed the path of the Space Origin Law, so the one who had just appeared could only have been Silver Moon Marquis.
"Instructor Lu Qingshan... Haha... It's rare to see you step outside..."
Just as Lu Qingshan was pondering the matter, a World Master with crimson pupils emerged from his residence and took the initiative to greet him.
This was a neighbor of Lu Qingshan's, and likewise a fellow Special-Class Instructor within the secret realm, known as Blood Eye World Master.
"Ran into a slight snag in my cultivation, so I came out for a stroll to clear my mind..." Lu Qingshan replied with a smile.
"With your law comprehension, breaking through to World Master will be a breeze... It's merely a matter of waiting a bit longer." Blood Eye walked up beside Lu Qingshan and said with a chuckle, "There's something I must congratulate you on, Instructor Lu Qingshan!"
Chapter 62